good evening, i'm antonio mora, this is al jazeera america. new efforts in a drive to push i.s.i.l. outs of northern iraq. why both sides are fighting over a road and how the u.s. is involved. >> claiming responsibility - i.s.i.l. says it blew up a beirut marketplace. dozens are dead, hundreds wounded. tonight, why lebanon was targeted. possible charges. what a police officer in florida might face after shooting and killing a church mousse iron.

the ongoing investigation and reaction from the victim's family after the officer was fired. tonight a nuisance of urgency in the fight against i.s.i.l. within the last hour we learnt that the u.s. military launched an air strike in iraq targetting jihadi john. the u.s. officials say his real name is mohammed emosi. he took part in the beheading of hostages. officials are trying to determine if he was hit by the air strikes. also, i.s.i.l. claims responsibility for an explosion in lebanon, killing 43 people, in an area considered an hezbollah stronghold. >> in iraq, air strikes at i.s.i.l. positions in and around

sinjar. kurdish peshmerga prepare to launch an offensive to retake the town sitting on the supply line. vicinity is at the -- jamie mcintyre is at the pentagon. >> the u.s. military is relying on the anti-i.s.i.l. fighting force - battle hardened kurdish peshmerga troops. once again the u.s. is sporting them in the air, on the ground, but the pentagon insists not on the front lines. >> the attack began at dawn, kicked off by three doze in strikes, conducted by american drones and a b 1 bomber. the u.s. has special operations commandos on the ground on sinjar mountains, over looking the area below. u.s. troops are helping to direct the attacks. which u.s. forces claim killed

50 i.s.i.l. fighters. the objective to free sinjar from a year of i.s.i.l. rule, and just as importantly, block a key supply line, highway 47 that links iraq and raqqa in syria, the two biggest strongholds, the u.s. says peshmerga forces seized parts of the road, establishing blocking positions. >> the targetting of highway 47 and the ground operation by peshmerga will degrade the ability of terrorists to funnel fighters into iraq. and cut off a means of funding activities. a force of 8,000 troops led by the kurds is going up by between 400 and 600 dug in and determined fighters. battle plans taking 2-4 days to take the city and a week to clear buried bombs and booby-trapped houses.

>> ultimate unlike prison rescues, no troops are on the front lines, according to a spokesman reached by skype. the likelihood that american forces will encounter combats is very close. we have american forces behind sinjar mountain. this is behind friendly line, and a few forces on the mountain are far enough back from the fighting that there's no expectation whatsoever that they'll encounter fighting. >> the u.s. said the kurd-led force includes a group of yazidi, a minority run out of sinjar when i.s.i.l. captured the city, and enslaved some of the yazidi women. a report by the holocaust museum says the death from starvation and dehydration of hundreds of yazidis, dropped on sinjar mountain after i.s.i.l. took over amounts to genocide.

a u.s. official called the operation tactically significant. it lays the ground work for operations to re take mosul and raqqah. the blocking of supply lines is not just to make it harder to get supplies in, but to make it harder to get oil out, reducing its cash flow lebanon declared tomorrow to be a national day of mourning for the victims of the two bomb attacks. zeina khodr has the story from beirut. >> reporter: a popular marketplace became a scene of carnage late on thursday, civilians were killed and injured, and the wons targeted. this is a mainly shia neighbourhood in the southern suburbs, it's where supporters of the movement hezbollah live. suicide bombers detonated explosives minutes and meters apart. the second blast went off outside a shia shrine.

>> translation: a large number of those injured were severely wounded and a number died in hospital. i know body parts of two suicide bombers have been found. we may have escaped an extra catastrophe, because the explosive belt of a third suicide bomber did not go off. >> reporter: people here have seen themes like this before. there was a time when similar attacks were frequent in this area of the capital. >> people are angry, there's a sense of defines. this is not the first time the suburbs has been hit by an explosion. the last time it happens was over a year ago. just like the attacks in the past, the people believe that this was a message to hez , which sent troops to syria to help the government in its fight against the opposition. hezbollah earnt itself enemies, one is i.s.i.l., claiming

responsibility for the attack. they targeted this place because they don't have any other way to fight us back. they have ran out of options. and let me be clear, they targeted this area because we are shia, but we will not be phased. >> reporter: hezbollah long insisted that the decision to fight in syria was a strategic choice and like the recent round of attacks, it's unlikely to change its position. supporters back that stance. >> today, before tomorrow, we'll follow the same principle. we will not feel weak or something like that, no, we will only be like that and stay loo that. >> behind the anger and digivens there's fear that this could be the beginning of another cycle of violence secretary of state john kerry used the words fascists

and thugs to describe i.s.i.l., and renewed a plea to dedefeat them. he called them the greatest threat faced by this generation. john terrett has more. >> good evening, secretary of state john kerry saying that there's increasing evidence that the u.s.-led coalition is making a difference in referencing the momentum of i.s.i.l. in iraq or syria, or d.a.e.s.h., as he calls it. >> president obama made his view clear that the crisis in syria cannot be resolved militarily. that is the case. it's also clear that the chance for a successful diplomacy. depends in part on the ability to exert leverage. oncontrol of territory, on perceptions about who is gaining or has the upper hand. that's why it matters that there's evidence in iraq and syria, that d.a.e.s.h. can be

defeated and routed. >> the maintain point and message that there needs to be a new leader. secretary of state john kerry set out three goals to bring peace to syria, but acknowledged he's working things through with russia and iran over the question of the future role of syrian president bashar al-assad. >> even while divided on this issue russia and others decided - wisely, i think - not to let that disaght prevent us -- disagreement prevent us building on the common ground we have established. build a legitimate organic process, our goal is to develop a timetable based on interim steps. participation of a broad range of parties, men and women, and the transition that will empower the center against the extremes.

and the walls of mistrust are thick and high. he'll go to veienna for talks, and his message will be let's not dig our heels in, let's take the next step forward so the building stops and the rebuilding begins the city much palm beach gardens florida, fired a police officer that killed a musician cory jones. we have this report. >> reporter: the police officers was terminated last night. he fatally shot 31-year-old cory jones in palm beach gardens. the city put out a statement saying an independent criminal investigation into the officer-involved shooting is ongoing. on october 18th jones was stopped on the side of the road waiting for a tow truck after

performing at a show. the officer, not in uniform, stopped to vet the vehicle. we don't know all the details. the law for jones' family was told by the state attorney that raja did not show his badge. jones was shot three times, and the gun jones was carrying was never fired. his death struck protests with the family demanding answers as to why jones was dropped. as for raj ape's determination the family said: the police union says they are disappointed at the term in addition a, the head of the union saying the city did not get all the facts before firing

the officer the university of missouri has new leadership. the school-named law professor michael middleton as president. middleton is one of the law school's first back graduates and promised cases of harassment will be dealt with swiftly. >> smoking rates in the is the lowest recorded. the news is not at good for lower income americans. that is next and trying to protect vulnerable people from deadly weather.

smoking could be banned in public housing developments and inside homes. federal officials will require 31,000 housing around the country to be smoke free. the public has 60 days o weigh in on the rule. if officials move in, it could take effect 18 months after it's finalised. the center for disease control shows few americans are smoking. 7" smoked in 2014. a 20% drop. smoking rates are high among

certain groups. a quarter of those that live beyond the poverty line smoke. smo smoaking costs in the u.s. are about 300 billion in health costs and lost productivity. to does this more, i'm joined by dr debbie. good to have you on the show. >> nice to see you too. >> 17% or so south americans smoking today. half of americans in 1960. the disparity is the biggest issue. in terms of what you are talking about. let's say someone has a gradual degree. 5% are smoker. >> the disparity is crazy. the graduate degree, people have 5% smoking rate. when you look at people who are lesser educated, it's 43%.

5 versus 43 ". >> why do you think it's happening. >> it's related to job and job-related stress. people who are less educated may have different jobs. if you think about factors that make people smoke, you may think about stress at work, or a smoking break may be more acceptable. the other thing is people who have certain jobs may have no insurance or, you know. insurance that doesn't provide as much coverage. >> or they may have to use medicate. 13% of people with private appearance were smokers. >> that's a big difference, bringing up the issue of how many taxpayers are paying for people to smoke.

>> when you want to quit smoke, you may two through smoking cessation. >> a lot are expensive. >> exactly. if you are not covered by injures, it will be less likely that you will quit smoking. >> is that a reason people are addicted with this economic disparity, it's not just education, it's 15% of people who live above the poverty line smoke, but 26% of people below the line smoke. >> all of these things are factors. >> there's no gap between races. >> that was interesting. that's a problem we see in other medical conditions. you'll see a difference based on ethnicity and poverty. here, there was one ethnic group at risk. the risk was about a third of

native americans were smokers. i am not sure why that is, they are at risk, and so were people with more than one ethnic background. >> do up think another is done now, given the great decline over the last 5-6 decades. >> we are starting to get complacent. we may not see it as much, the people with the influence to make changes. when we talk about the federal programme that is on the table... ..to me, it is concerning. if people are relying on the public housing and they'll be thrown out if they smoke, we may see a lot more people that are homeless. if you think about to. s on cigarettes -- taxes on cigarettes, you may see smoking among people that have money. it's the difference between on

addiction versus something you are doing out of our own preference. >> good to see you. >> growing concerns that hundreds could drown. empty rivers where so many live are expected to be flided by el-nino rains. >> this is not the standard welfare checkly l.a. country deputies, it's a search and rescue mission to save hundreds of lives before storms from the so-called godzilla el nino slam into southern california. >> this rain will be worse than we have ever had. >> the day we join the deputies, a light rain was falling and water flowing along the river. dry just a few days before. >> this would be one of the first places when a significant

water rushes through. swept away, taken away. >> the deputy courts waterways on foot and on four wheels. >> they are living in camps along 172 miles of river beds. the sheriff department uses vehicles to find and urge them to move to higher safer grounds. deputies and homeless providers are determined to get in, and clear out the camps by offering emergency shelter. for those that refused to leave. outreach workers take down numbers with a promise to be back. >> our concern is anyone in the riverbed, that they can be killed. >> is that a possibility, do you think? >> definitely. due to the drought in

california, we haven't had a lot of rain. >> ron old is one of them. owes lived upped the oifr pass for a number of years. >> there's no i can hold on and run up here. we are here to make sure if the storm hits. that it comes down at such force that you will not be able to escape the require bed. further down the river, another homeless person and i don't remember warming. >> if the rain comes down, you will not be able to stand up. it will take you there. towards the end of the day, after traversing 11 miles, deputies discovered a narrow path that leads to a concealed camp. >> i smell fire. the lieutenant says it looks like they took off whip they heard the deputy coming. all they can do is hope they need the warning and get out

a relic. mob era accused of one of the biggest armed robberies history walks out of court a freeman. the court of the lufthansa next. amid a rash of blazes aimed at aircraft, an incident gives an idea of how dangerous the stunt can be.

police and the federal bureau of investigation are investigating 20 incidents around the country of lasers pointed at aircraft in the last 24 hours, two men were arrested wednesday night, who pointed lasers. one was charged with reckless endangerment. the shopper crews stayed at the scene making the arrest. pointing a laser at an aircraft is a crime. it can distract pilots. a not guilty verd ict in a trial 20 years in the making. a jury acquitted him of charges that he helped to plot a hyfte depicted in the movie "good fellows." it's the organized crime caper immortalized. >> these are the guys jimmy put

together in the biggest hyfte history. nearly 40 years offer the infamous job. the only person to stand trial was acquitted. >> there was a hold-up of historic proportions. the 1970 heist was no less spectacular in reality. >> authorities are not saying more than they believe is to be the largest robbery. armed robberies made off with loot. investigators found an empty black van, but not the robbers or the goods. >> 5 million in undocumented cash, a million in gems and jewellery, which would be worth over $20 million. the journalist spent his career covering the mob. the fairs families had big pieces of action at j.f.k. at

the airport. everybody was involved. the all the families. when the mastermind of the lufthansa job planned it, he had to give cuts to everybody. >> that alleged mastermind was jimmy burke, aka jimmy the jet. played in the movie by robert de niro. >> movie reel: never rat on your friends and keep your mouth shut. >> reporter: he died in imprison in 1996 on unrelated charges. the mobs once sacred code of silence is crack of course, leading to a day in court. >> most have been killed or knocked off. longevity d occur.

>> he was indicted for the lufthansa job, and other charms, including a murder of an informant in 1991. it was alleged that he forged the plan for the airport hold-up and got a cut. testifying against him. mobsters and his own first cousin. in the end he beat the rap. as the verdict was led he pumped his feisal istrabadi. >> i have two years here and i'm die to get home before we go, an unidentified flying object is on collision course with earth. experts think it's space junk that will burn up as it enters the atmoss ear over the -- atmosphere over the indian ocean on friday.

some authorities instituted a ban on fishing. thank you for joining us. for the latest news head over to aljazeera.com. luis suarez is up next for "inside story". have a great night. there are no rates an c.d.s, atms, or deposit slips or kitchen aye palestines on its way for opening an account. the world bank is a different creature, a lending institution sending hundreds of billions to the poorest countries to lift the poorest people out of poverty. dr jim kim appointed by president obama wants to get the world as close to ending extreme